What challenges do younger generations face in maintaining fluency in Catalan amid Castilian dominance?

Younger generations in Catalonia face significant challenges in maintaining fluency in Catalan due to the societal predominance of Castilian Spanish. Although Catalan is an official language and an essential part of regional identity, Castilian dominates many aspects of everyday life, including national media, popular culture, and official communication on a broader Spanish level. This widespread presence of Castilian creates an environment where younger individuals are more frequently exposed to Spanish, often at the expense of their Catalan language skills. The influence of social media, television, and music in Castilian further compounds this issue, as young people are naturally drawn to content that is more universally accessible across Spain, limiting their everyday practice and immersion in Catalan.

In educational settings, Catalan remains a key language of instruction, but the real challenge arises outside the classroom. Interactions in urban areas, particularly in Barcelona and other multicultural cities, commonly occur in Castilian due to diverse populations and internal migration. This shift reduces opportunities for young people to use Catalan in social and professional contexts, leading to decreased fluency and confidence. Family language dynamics also play a critical role; in many homes, Spanish is the dominant language, especially when parents come from other regions of Spain or when the preference is to equip their children with Castilian, which is perceived as more practical nationwide. These factors collectively make it difficult for younger Catalans to maintain a balanced bilingualism, threatening the future vitality of Catalan despite ongoing cultural and institutional support.